The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-11-05

SPEECH OF HON. j. FRANK TURNER.
The following tribute to our State govern
ment under Democratic management was de-
livered by j. Frank Turner State Comptrol-
Ter, in a speech at Kregers Hall, Baltimore
city, October 25:
When the Democratic party came into power
in this State, little over twenty years ago, the
State was well nigh bankrupt. The hand of
the spoiler was everywhere to be seen. The
ascertained and unascertained debt of the
State at that time amounted to nearly twenty
millions, bearing six per cent. interest.
The sinking funds of the State, amounting
to several millions, had well nigh vanished.
An unascertained war debt of over five mill
lious of dollars unprovided for, cur people
were impoverished and taxes were thirty
cents in the one hundred dollars.
Many of the insane of the State were con-
fined in jails and almshouses; the deaf and
the dumb were without schools and left as
mendicants to live upon charity. There were
no schools or provision made for the educa-
ton of the colored people, nor was there any
schools for the education of those who de-
signed making teaching a profession, and
young criminals were confined in jais and in
the penitentiary with those who had grown
old in crime. Such, in brief, was the eondi-
ton of Maryland when the Republican party
"do nun pOmCE ONtE lHeUty years uSO.
But look at Maryland to- day under Demo
cratic rule. The debt of the State has been
gradually reduced until now the net debt of
the State is less than six millions of dollars.
We have now a sinking fund of over two
millions, and there is scarcely any of the six
per cent. interest bearing debt outstanding.
We are exchanging it as fast as it falls due.
when we do not pay it, and giving instead a
bond bearing only three per cent, thus saving
just one-half of the interest and denoting that
Maryland maintains in monetary circles the
highest condition of credit. We have Just fin
ished exchanging over 81, 800, 900 of the debt
of the State in these three per cent. bonds.
And as soon as the Legislature meets we will
be able to reduce taxation one and one half
cents, and during the term of Governor
Jackson, should you sustain this party by
your votes, | expect to see all debt taxes
wiped out leaving only the tax of ten cents
for the purposes of education.
The Democratic party has taken the insane
of our State from the iails and the almshouses,
where they had been left by the Republican
party, and has erected a magnificent structure
for them in Baltimore county at cost of four
hundred and sixty.fve thousand dollars,
where many Of them have been restored to
health and reason under the kind and genial
Influences Of that institution. 1t has gathered
from all over this State the poor deaf and
dumb children, where they were left by the
Republican party as mendicants 10 at last find
a resting place in beggar's grave, and has
placed them in an institution at Frederick,
erected at a cost of two hundred and fifty
thousand dollars, where they are educated
and prepared for the active duties of life, and
to become useful members of society.
1t has erected at an expense OF two hun
dred and twenty five thousand dollars in
Anne Arundel county the Maryland House
of Correction, where the young woman or
man Just starting upon a career of crime may
be sent and reclaimed from life of misery
and shame. While the Democratic party du-
ring its reign in the past twenty years has
provided for the States insane and unfortu-
mates, and for the reformation of its criminals,
it has not been unmindful of the youth of our
State, to whom the State in few years must
look to direct its affairs, but, besides provid
ing with liberal hand for their education, ii
has erected in this city State Normal School
at cost of $3.50, 900 for the education of
young men and women to lie teachers and
educators Of the youth ofour State. All these
things have been given the people of this
State under Democratic rule, and yet we are
told that we are under the rule ofthe criminal
classes.
But this is not ALL Even the oolored man
and brother has not been forgotten, but the
State of Maryland, under the management
and control of the Democratic party gives
annually one hundred thousand dollars for
the education of the colored children of the
State. This is as it should be.
Morris this all. The Democratic party has
given annually nearly afmillion of dollars
for public education, besides nearly one mil
lion and half in the past twenty years to
colleges and academies, and over three mil
lions and half to the various charitable and
reformatory institutions Of our State, and
making grand total of over fifteen millions
of dollars.
Under Republican rule the taxes in 1868
and 1864 were ticeRty;fire cents in the one
hundred dollars, and in 1865 and 1866, the last
years of Republican rule, they were increased
to thirty cents in the one hundred dollars.
They made no improvements, they built no
Institutions, and left a debt Of aref fee mil
hons uHprouided for.
The first year of Democratic rule, notwith--
standing the expense incident TO the making
of new constitution, taxes were put down
to twenty cents on the one hundred dollars,
and there they remained, or whereabouts, for
ten years, and for the past ten years they
have only been 162 cents on the one hundred
dollars, and at the close of the fiscal year, 30th
September last, we had nearly seven hundred
thousand dollars in cash in bank standing to
Marylaud's credit. As further evidence of
the progress and development of your State
under Democratic rule the assessable prop
erty of the State has rapidly increased since
the advent of Democratic power in this State.
The books now show an increase of ticO
hundred millions Of property, and we have
not had an assessment since 1870, and if all
the property of this State were made to con-
tribute its share of the public burdens, the
taxable basis could be readily increased one
hundred millions more.
In order to do this you must have a new
constitution, and let me here say to you, do
not hesitate to vote for it for fear of the ex-
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